Love Like A Sunset
by dreamofdesire
Summary: Some see the Sun setting as a negative sign, while others choose to hold on to the hope that even though the Sun is gone for now, that it eventually has to make its way back, lighting up the entire sky. Rated T for language. Please review!


I'm pretty much ignoring everything that took place in Breaking Dawn except for Jacob becoming Alpha. Enjoy.

Edit: This is an edit of a previously posted story. I've edited it for grammar, spelling and some content. Enjoy!

**Love Like A Sunset**

Life has a way of coming full circle. In the morning the Sun peaks over the horizon, bringing hope to a new day. The day ends with the Sun sneaking across the sky, dipping below the horizon. Some see the Sun setting as a negative sign, while others choose to hold on to the hope that even though the Sun is gone for now, that eventually it has to make its way back, lighting up the entire sky.

Leah sat on her parent's back porch, waiting for the Sun to set. The gorgeous mix of pinks, purples and oranges immediately brought Leah back to her childhood, sitting by the water's edge with her father, watching the summer sun set. She was nostalgic for the time when life was less complicated. When the only thing that mattered was taking her dolls on field-trips to the beach and playing dress up with the girls from the other side of the reservation. Back when you still believed that if your mother kissed your skinned knee that it magically stopped hurting. A time when your father got down on his knees to check for monsters under the bed and declared them gone and you believed him.

When life was simpler. Peaceful.

Leah knew better now. She knew that those things that went bump in the night were completely real and terrifying and could rip your heart straight out of your chest without breaking a sweat. She knew that if a vampire shredded her leg with its teeth that it would hurt like hell but then it would heal, making her skin tingle. Leah also knew that her Prince wasn't going to come and she wasn't going to get her happily ever after.

But she was okay with all of that. It was just the fact of the matter, a part of growing up.

Leah was no longer going to dwell on the past. She didn't want to waste any more energy on constantly berating Sam about breaking her heart and bombard her pack mates with visions of their relationship. She barely had enough energy to get herself out of bed in the morning.

Contrary to popular belief, Leah did not enjoy being miserable. It wasn't like one day she woke up and decided to be a giant cunt to everyone around her, it just kind of happened. But she was passed all that. It was time for a new beginning. If the Sun could disappear for a while and come back the next day bright and cheery, renewing itself, leaving whatever happened previously firmly in the past than so could she.

Jake was a lot like the Sun. Not because he could always light up a room but because he could go away for a little while and yet come back as though all the horrible things he'd been through hadn't occurred, bright and sunny.

Jake had returned from his self-induced exile five days ago. He didn't talk to anyone in the pack for the first two days. Instead he went home, showered, got a good night sleep and woke up bright and early to help Billy with chores. He went about his normal business, tinkering with the rabbit and helping old ladies cross the street. You know, the usual.

Of course he didn't tell Leah all of this. Billy told Sue who told Leah who told Seth who then told everyone he could get to listen to him. The entire town waited with bated breathe, wondering when Jacob would acknowledge his absence and apologize for scaring everyone half to death.

That day never came.

On the third day Jake resurfaced. He'd avoided shifting until then and once he did Jake acted like it was no big deal. Naturally the Pack bombarded him with questions on where he'd been, what he'd done and why he was back. He somehow managed to not answer a single question and yet have the Pack eating out of his hand within minutes, Seth leading the parade. Even Leah fell under his spell. Leah was a pro at smelling bullshit, but for some reason she didn't smell any surrounding Jacob. He seemed to have genuinely moved on and forgotten about Bella and Edward. He informed the Pack that he had returned permanently and wanted to resume his position as Alpha.

The vote was unanimous. Jacob was the true leader.

On day five Sue and Emily put on a full-fledged, Pack only barbecue to celebrate their leader's triumphant return to civilization. The boys ate everything within minutes leaving mere table scraps for the humans amongst them. Leah had done her part and joined in with the jovial conversations, pulling her punches, trying not to be a bitch. She'd succeeded for the most part, until Sam and Emily made the announcement that they were expecting. For her part, Leah kept her composure, offering up her congratulations even going so far as to hug Emily. But as soon as she could Leah separated herself from the group and made her way up the beach and to her house.

That's where Jake found Leah, sitting on her porch, waiting for the Sun to set. His footsteps were soft against the dry earth.

"Mind if I join you?" Leah was surprised that he even bothered asking. He was the Alpha; he could do whatever the hell he wanted. She wanted to make a snide comeback but bit her tongue, remembering that that was something the old Leah would do and she was the new Leah. Leah 2.0.

"Yeah," she motioned to the spot directly next to her, "go ahead."

Jake, having expected Leah to issue a snarky remark, was slightly taken aback by her polite reply but was quick to recover and took a seat at her side. They sat for a while in silence, both digesting the beautiful landscape that surrounded them.

His voiced wafted through the silence, "All the places I've been and yet nothing even comes close to being as beautiful as a Quileute sunset." Leah said nothing but was in complete agreement. Not that she'd had first hand experience having never been anywhere besides the great state of Washington. But she had a feeling that Jake was correct in his assessment.

Leah was dying to ask him where exactly he'd been these last couple of months, but didn't know how to tactfully broach the subject. Even though neither spoke, she was enjoying their little moment of peace. It was a nice change from the chaos that was her life. Hopefully Jacob wouldn't ruin it by talking about Sam or Emily or anything really.

She was half lucky.

What he said next nearly knocked Leah from her spot on the worn porch steps.

"Although you come pretty close." She didn't know whether to be offended that she wasn't prettier than a sunset or pleased that she just got compared to the stunning show of lights in front of her. The new Leah chose the former.

"Thanks."

"What? That comment was so cheesy I could use a glass of milk. How are you not trying to rip my head off?" Jake turned and looked incredulously at Leah.

"I'm choosing to take that statement for what it is. If you can't accept that – well that's not really my problem," a little bit of the old Leah poking through.

"Now that's more like it." Jacob seemed satisfied with her reply and they went back to sitting in silence, both leaning back, resting on their hands, elbows locked watching the sunset.

Seconds turned into minutes, but Leah didn't seem to notice. She was awestruck by the splendor of the nature around her. She could feel the calm washing over her and soon a feeling of complete tranquility spread throughout and flooded onto her face. She felt like a kid again.

Just as the sunset was at its most glorious Leah felt eyes watching her and she looked over at Jacob's curious brown orbs.

He was giving Leah a look she couldn't describe, but she began to squirm under his scrutiny.

Leah sat up straight, "What?" Leah was getting a little nervous under his gaze.

"You really are gorgeous." It was said in a whisper, so Leah wasn't sure if she'd heard correctly.

"Ha ha Jake, if it wasn't funny the first time why would it be the second?" Leah was in a really good mood, which was very rare, and she didn't need Jake ruining it by making her feel badly.

"I'm not kidding Leah. I couldn't be more serious," Jake sat up and raised his right hand to tuck the loose strand of silky ebony hair back behind her left ear, Leah having let it grow while he was gone, "I don't understand how anyone could give you up."

Jake let his hand slide to Leah's cheek, holding her head, his gaze averted to her plump lips. She let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding.

"Jake, what are you -" Leah stopped talking. She knew what Jacob was going to do. She saw him leaning in. Leah could have stopped it, but she simply didn't want to. Jacob leaned in and pressed his surprisingly soft lips against hers. The kiss was simple but at the same time complex because Jacob and Leah weren't supposed to be doing something like this, especially not together. It was the culmination of many factors: his long mysterious absence, her change of attitude, the scenery. The kiss was gentle and perfect and Leah never wanted it to end.

Their kiss was like the sunset.

When Jake pulled away, Leah wasn't sad. When the Sun finally disappears below the horizon and it's all over it brings hope for the next day. Their kiss may have ended but it brought with it the chance for a fresh start, a new beginning.

The sunrise the next morning never looked so beautiful.


End file.
